Just because you have always been the ‘BRIGHT CHILD’ doesn’t mean you cannot fail.
Here we share a story of CA Steffi Almeida, who was always the BRIGHT child but still experienced failure in the CA Final, and how she picked herself from there!
Steffi is a qualified Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
“What has CA taught you,” we asked. “Was it worth it?!” we went on further.
With that vibrant, energetic smile she replied: “The grass is greener on the other side.”
While the proverb may intend to mean otherwise, I’m here to tell you why this statement is so true in the life of a prospective CA.
Failure was unheard of, and school and college were a breeze. I was the ‘BRIGHT STUDENT ‘everyone thought I would always succeed. And I did until I hit the May-November CA Final whirlwind.
I studied over 12 hours a day, sacrificed every fun outing my friends planned & lied to people I was supposed to meet saying I was unwell, in case they thought I was being lame studying those long hours.
So where was I going wrong? I mean what did God want me to do, more than what I had already done? Was this a sick way of the universe telling me that I was going to be nothing? And that all the years I had invested in this course, right from CPT (1st level CA Final), IPCC (2nd level CA exam) and the 3-year article-ship was all a waste?
After every attempt and result, I would try and avoid people. Those pitiful stares – Beta aabhi tak padh rahe ho? or a ‘aree yeh time toh result acha aya tha” or a ‘mere buaji k bade bhai ki choti ladki k bete ki hone wali dharam patni pass hogayi’ made me want to SCREAM (literally SCREAM….)!!!
Everyone was moving ahead, my friends were updating statuses about becoming doctors, and lawyers, some completing their MBAs, and even some people a year younger becoming CA’s. And here I was, knee-deep in books, stuck, lost, should I???? Is this for me????? Quit????? Do I have the energy to do this again????? Group 1? Group 2? Both? The same books, with newer amendments, all seemed never-ending.
And the best part was I wanted to be a CA like I really had the desire to be one. I was pursuing it out of free will, with no family pressure nor was I doing it just cause I had to do it. Like I really wanted to be a CA. Then why was this happening to me?
For those who are reading this and facing the same thing, I have only a few things to say. People may tell you the universe is equal and that everything will happen in its time, but I couldn’t disagree more.
- I CLEARED the moment I quit leaving everything to luck and God.
- I CLEARED the moment I decided not to wallow in self-pity and get my sh*t together.
- I CLEARED the moment I stopped blaming the ICAI for fraudulent practices.
- I called for my papers, analyzed them, and realized where I was going wrong.
You have to SEIZE the chance, remember you’ve signed up for a professional exam, probably the toughest course in India in terms of passing; this isn’t going to be easy.
So quitting is NOT an option.
People who question you on the reason you’re taking so long to clear are all ignorant of the course and the level of what it demands. Surround yourself with positive people.
Now, to tell you why the grass is greener; I am on the other side and trust me, it’s all worth it!!!!
It was no longer about the prefix, it was a VICTORY OVER ‘YOURSELF‘.
When you fail for the first time ever and then succeed, you can develop some Super Magical Attitude, the CA journey gave me that magic, that courage, to see every failure as another opportunity and Try Again Till I Succeed.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can or cannot achieve something, especially YOURSELF,” she concluded
You could reach out to her on her Steffi Almeida
